An open-plan layout is a hallmark of contemporary home design. Walls between rooms are removed to create one continuous, expansive space, creating an airy and free flow throughout the building. It’s a key part of the minimalist style that has dominated so much of early 21st century interior design.
Installing a single-storey extension is a fantastic way to reimagine your home’s layout and give it a fresh, modern facelift. It lets you incorporate an open-plan design into your own home, breathing new life into it while boosting its long-term value.
In the guide below, we lay out four tips for creating an open-plan floor with a single-storey extension. Read on to learn more!
When planning your open-plan floor, you should begin by figuring out where everything will go. This will help determine the placement and size of your extension.
Look at where your kitchen, dining, and living spaces are in relation to one another, and think about where your extension will fit in best – will the most logical place be next to the kitchen and lounge, or will it be better placed on the other side of your home?
Don’t forget to look at the sunlight patterns throughout the day, as this has a big impact on the amount of natural light in your home.
Once you’ve decided where your extension will go, you can think about how you’ll connect it to the rest of your space.
A defining feature of open-plan design is a lack of walls and barriers between spaces. To achieve this open flow in your home, limit additional walls and use furniture as room dividers instead. For example, if your new extension connects to the kitchen or dining area, tables and chairs can blur the line between the spaces while maintaining an unobstructed line of sight between them.
Make sure you go for furniture that separates spaces subtly, rather than closes them off completely. This will allow the light to travel through unimpeded and enhance the airy, expansive aesthetic of an open floor plan.
Of course, it’s not just the furniture that matters – the structure of the extension itself is also key to achieving an open-plan aesthetic.
Opaque, solid doors obstruct natural light and disrupt the visual continuity of the space, so they’re not ideal for an open-plan space. Instead, install wide glass doors to maintain an unbroken sightline; bi-fold and sliding doors are both great options, as they neatly tuck away when opened, but still allow light to flow through when closed.
An open-plan design should have a cohesive style to unify the space. After all, it’s no good if your existing rooms have pale blue walls while your new one has forest green!
To avoid this disconnect, use complementary paint colours, window treatments, and decorative details throughout for continuity. You should also use the same flooring material throughout the open-plan area to visually expand the space. A holistic decorating approach makes the addition feel like part of the contiguous whole rather than a tacked-on afterthought.
Now that you’ve got an idea of how you can use a single-storey extension to create an open-plan layout in your home, you can move onto the nitty-gritty of it: building the extension itself!
At Single Storey Extensions, we supply one-of-a-kind extensions in all shapes and sizes. Our kits include all necessary materials along with easy-to-follow instructions, letting you save on labour and architect fees while giving you full creative control over the design and timeline.
During planning, we’ll work with you to design a warm, inviting layout that blends seamlessly with your existing home. We’ll help you customise details like windows, doors, and exterior finishes to achieve the modern, open-plan look you’ve been dreaming of.
